One of the longest standing debates between pet owners is cats vs. dogs, without a doubt, though, the clear champion is the cat.
I grew up with cats my whole life, so I will acknowledge my bias.
However, I’ve also had my fair share of experience with dogs, and the superiority of the cat is evident.
On the most basic level, cats rank higher in cleanliness and ease of care.
Dogs stink–I mean, they literally eat poop. They constantly need someone to let them outside or take them on walks.
If you don’t give them the exercise they need, they will find a way to take out their energy in the home, most notably by being destructive and chewing up your favorite pair of expensive shoes.
Cats, on the other hand, are quite clean. They spend 30-50% of their day grooming themselves alone.
Their saliva contains natural cleaning properties, giving them the ability to stay so clean.
Cats are also fairly low maintenance. As far as daily care goes, it does not take much to scoop a cat’s litter box and refill their food and water bowls.
Diving into the complexities of why cats are incredible animals, there are several reasons, including intelligence and independence.
According to some studies, cats have more neurons than dogs. Neurons are information transmitters in the brain which help an organism receive input from the external environment and communicate actions throughout the rest of the body.
Cats’ brains are also folded, meaning they have more room to store those neurons. Animals with smoother brains, in contrast, have less neurons.
If you watch any cat, you will also discover that they are quick problem solvers.
A couple years ago, someone in our house put up a bell by the back door.
They thought the dogs might learn to ring the bell when they wanted to go outside.
Guess who never rang the bell?
Right, the dogs.
Guess who was ringing the bell insistently the second day the bell was up?
That’s right. It was one of our cats.
Some may argue that cats are difficult to train. However, it doesn’t mean they are impossible to train. You just have to understand how they think and respect their independence.
Dogs are obedient and always wanting to please. They can do the same monotonous task over and over, desperate for approval.
The cat however, does not need your approval. One of the most beautiful parts of companionship with a cat is that they are so independent and more of an equal friend.
The cat can spend its entire day occupying itself and then enjoys your company; my cats are so excited to greet me when I get home from school or work, but after some time spent together, they will usually go off and do their own thing, whether that’s napping, playing, or roaming the rest of the house.
Continuing along the thread of feline independence, cats are considered only semi-domesticated.
This means that your feline companion doesn’t need you to survive the way a dog does. Instead, think of it like this: your cat chooses you.
Dog domestication began 18,000 to 30,000 years ago. Humans have been breeding and nurturing canine dependence and obedience since then.
Cats, on the other hand, may have only been “domesticated” 4,000 years ago.
Throughout history, cats have been a natural asset to humanity. As a form of rodent control, cats have long hunted mice and rats that haunted civilization.
In fact, cats killing rats carrying the black death in the 1300s may have helped stop the plague.
That is, if medieval peoples had not been bent on the suspicion that cats were “Satan’s spawn,” so they killed and persecuted cats as a result.
Through WWII, cats were often kept on naval ships to control mice populations. Today, cats still have strong reputations as great hunters of vermin, particularly on farms.
Cats are beautiful and incredible animals. Their independence alone is respectful.
Despite this independence, they will show you a love unlike any other.
The love from a cat is one of choice because they do not need your companionship. If a cat chooses you, you must be doing something pretty cool.
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